'Extremely Fun!' 4-Star Longhorns QB Commit K.J. Lacey Ready to Take on Elite 11 Finals

Texas Longhorns QB commit KJ Lacey is looking forward to the challenges of the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles

Saraland's KJ Lacey passes against Mountain Brook during the AHSAA Class 6A State Football Championship Game at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Friday December 2, 2022. Ms04 / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY

The Texas Longhorns have been recruiting the quarterback position as well or better than anyone else in the country under head coach Steve Sarkisian.

It all really started for Sarkisian and the Horns with the commitment of Quinn Ewers out of the transfer portal, which was followed not long after by Arch Manning in 2023, Trey Owens in 2024, KJ Lacey in the 2025 class, and wrapped up with five-star Dia Bell on Monday as part of the 2026 haul. However, of all of those prospects, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Lacey might be the most unique of the bunch.

And he now heads into the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles on Tuesday with a chance to prove it.

Waiting for Lacey in L.A. will be 19 of the other best quarterbacks in the country, including five-stars Julian Lewis, Husan Longstreet, Tavien St. Clair, and Matt Zollers - each of whom he is excited to face off against and spend time with over the three-day camp.

“I feel like the best part of it is getting to know the coaches and the other quarterbacks I’ll be throwing with and competing against,” Lacey told On3. “Ready to learn a whole lot from the coaches. Also being able to be a part of the Elite 11 is just still really cool to me. Been watching since the Trevor Lawrence and the Justin Fields episodes of it on YouTube. Should be extremely fun.”

So how good is Lacey really? When it's all said and done, he will have every opportunity to win the competition.

In 15 games in 2023 for Saraland (AL), Lacey completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 3,448 yards and 42 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He also rushed for five scores.

Nearly all of those numbers were an improvement from 2022 as a sophomore, when Lacey won a state title for Saraland, throwing for 3,177 yards and 40 touchdown passes.

Lacey has been so good over the last two seasons, in fact, that he has he ranks as a consensus four-star recruit, sitting as high as the No. 4 QB in America per Rivals.com. He also ranks No. 9 at the position per ESPN, No. 13 per 247Sports, and No. 10 per the On3 Industry Ranking.

Not to mention, his unique skill set has even earned him comparisons to that of Alabama Heisman Trophy winner and former No. 1 pick, Bryce Young. 

"I get a lot of comparisons to Bryce Young," Lacey said earlier this spring. "I'm eyes downfield. If I'm rolling out, and see somebody downfield, I'm going to hit it before I take off running. But, if I have to run, I'll take any good yards. Really good leader leading my team. Winner. I hate losing."

Young, of course, is a veteran of Elite 11 as well, nearly winning the event himself, falling just short behind C.J. Stroud.

And if Lacey is anything akin to what Young was at this stage of his development, he should have a great shot to place high, or perhaps even win the competition.